Kaizer Chiefs have made another coaching change by sacking Molefi Ntseki and replacing him with Cavin Johnson this week. But for the sake of their supporters, we hope the club’s management makes a thorough introspection about their lack of success of late.
Ntseki was elevated to the head coach position only in June, replacing Arthur Zwane after a disastrous past season, but results have not been forthcoming this season either. It is reasonable to expect fans to be frustrated, as they reacted with anger after Chiefs’ elimination by AmaZulu from the Carling Knockout at FNB Stadium on Saturday.
The changing of the technical team, without addressing real problems at the club, will not lead to any lasting solutions.
The Chiefs hierarchy must do some self-reflection which should inform the decision to hire the next coach. Chiefs should seriously reflect, rather than make another haphazard hiring.
Johnson, thankfully for Chiefs, is a knowledgeable local who will be expected to hit the ground running, but we can bet that should he struggle in his initial matches, fans will make even more noise and remind the club bosses that he’s just serving as an interim coach.
Chiefs have not helped matters by failing to explain some decisions. Why Johnson? He’s interim yes, but for how long? What are the time frames for finding a permanent solution?
It would help Chiefs’ management to be more transparent, and even more contrite to their angry fan base, which has not celebrated a trophy in eight years. Replacing Zwane with Ntseki was a momentous mistake, especially as we had cautioned against such a decision given Ntseki’s less-than-convincing CV, which saw him fired as Bafana Bafana coach two years ago.
Johnson, who worked with Pitso Mosimane at Al Ahly in 2021, has a better profile than both Zwane and Ntseki combined but he has stepped into hot water. No one should expect him to swim in there for too long.
Chiefs must do the right thing and find a suitable, long-term solution to a problem that has been almost a decade in the making.
SOWETAN | Chiefs must ask hard questions
Kaizer Chiefs have made another coaching change by sacking Molefi Ntseki and replacing him with Cavin Johnson this week. But for the sake of their supporters, we hope the club’s management makes a thorough introspection about their lack of success of late.
Ntseki was elevated to the head coach position only in June, replacing Arthur Zwane after a disastrous past season, but results have not been forthcoming this season either. It is reasonable to expect fans to be frustrated, as they reacted with anger after Chiefs’ elimination by AmaZulu from the Carling Knockout at FNB Stadium on Saturday.
The changing of the technical team, without addressing real problems at the club, will not lead to any lasting solutions.
The Chiefs hierarchy must do some self-reflection which should inform the decision to hire the next coach. Chiefs should seriously reflect, rather than make another haphazard hiring.
Johnson, thankfully for Chiefs, is a knowledgeable local who will be expected to hit the ground running, but we can bet that should he struggle in his initial matches, fans will make even more noise and remind the club bosses that he’s just serving as an interim coach.
Chiefs have not helped matters by failing to explain some decisions. Why Johnson? He’s interim yes, but for how long? What are the time frames for finding a permanent solution?
It would help Chiefs’ management to be more transparent, and even more contrite to their angry fan base, which has not celebrated a trophy in eight years. Replacing Zwane with Ntseki was a momentous mistake, especially as we had cautioned against such a decision given Ntseki’s less-than-convincing CV, which saw him fired as Bafana Bafana coach two years ago.
Johnson, who worked with Pitso Mosimane at Al Ahly in 2021, has a better profile than both Zwane and Ntseki combined but he has stepped into hot water. No one should expect him to swim in there for too long.
Chiefs must do the right thing and find a suitable, long-term solution to a problem that has been almost a decade in the making.